Filmstudy - Filmstudy is a sophisticated and comprehensive statistical analysis of the Ravens defense that incorporates a participation-by-play tracking system. This unique analysis is the brain child of the author and provides our readers with the real story behind the Ravens’ top end defensive results in the National Football League. Make Russellstreetreport.com the source for all of your Ravens football news and the forum to talk about what the Ravens fans want to hear most.

Lombardi’s Way - A column from the 24×7 founder that focuses on the Ravens, the NFL, Baltimore, the world of sports or life’s inspirations.

Word on The Street - In the spirit of the CBS Sports Minute with Boomer Esiason, RSR brings you Word on The Street, a 90 second (or less) podcast on topics exclusively relating to the Baltimore Ravens.

20 For 20 - In 2015 the Baltimore Ravens will celebrate their 20th season in Charm City. This series pays homage to 20 unforgettable events that have occurred since Art Modell arrived.

Camp Notes - Let Russellstreetreport.com be your eyes and ears on the practice field. Whether it’s Rookie Camp, Mini Camp or Training Camp, we are there 24×7 to provide you with all of the details from that day’s Raven’s practice. If you can’t make it to camp, check in with our Ravens news writers and you will feel as though you were there. Need proof? Check out our camp note archives from camp practices earlier this Spring.

Flashback Friday - A look back on some previously posted articles which today look silly, comical, spot-on or interesting in a retrospective kind of way.

Tale of the Tape - Breakdown of key plays that made a difference in the outcome of a Baltimore Ravens game.

In spite of the blather you may be hearing from Bleacher Report and ESPN.com about the Bengals being “head of the class” in the AFC North Division, and the division being “all but locked up,” don’t buy it, and take it from this writer who has already been criticized by some of you, the readers of this column, for allegedly selling short the Ravens playoff chances.

No, no indeed, I haven’t sold them short, as this gift win from the Dolphins – provided early for the holidays – put the Ravens back into contention if they simply win their next three or four games.

In fact, not only does this put them back into contention, it puts them into a TIE with Cincinnati in which they would, at this point, own the tiebreaker by virtue of a head-to-head win.

How so, you ask? Cincinnati lost to Miami. If the Ravens beat the Browns, they are 4-4, with the Bengals at 6-3. The Ravens’ next game after Cleveland is against said Bengals, at home, with an improved offensive line after (we assume) some feather ruffling by owner Steve Bisciotti (again) has caused a shake-up of the Ravens coaching staff with the return promotion of Andy Moeller as offensive line play caller and the demotion of Run Game Coordinator Juan Castillo. If the Ravens win that game, they are 5-4, with Cincy at 6-4.

After that, the Bengals have a bye after hosting the Browns and Baltimore plays Chicago on the road, and then hosts the NY Jets, a team the Ravens have owned at M&T Bank Stadium.

If the Ravens beat those next four teams – REGARDLESS of what Cincinnati does other than losing to the Ravens, the Ravens will move to first in the Division with their head-to-head win vs Cincinnati. If the Bengals somehow lose at home to the Browns (unlikely) the Ravens could be in first place by winning just their next three games.

The Bengals loss is the continuation of their strange, Dallas Cowboy-like trend of showing up for teams that they are expected to lose to, but taking days off against opponents they are expected to beat up.

Not that the Fins are fish food this year at 4-4, but they were helped by Andy Dalton’s incredible self-destruction in being a turnover machine, culminating with his end zone sack by Fins rush star Cameron Wake for only the league’s third ever overtime game which was decided on a safety.

The Orange Cats are good this year. Who Dey? A good team is who, but they are still beatable as Miami proved.

I have said it is unlikely that Baltimore goes 7-2 and makes the playoffs at 10-6, but it is far from impossible, and the Bengals have a tough schedule with games remaining against playoff contenders the San Diego Chargers (on the road), tough division opponent Pittsburgh (also on the road) and a home game against the surging Indianapolis Colts, a team that has thus far this season been the only team to beat Denver as well as beating San Francisco on the road and Seattle at home.

The Ravens have losable games against the Patriots at home and Detroit Lions and said Bears on the road, plus their three remaining contests against the Bengals and Steelers.

So, don’t count the Ravens out on the Division yet with a clear path to win it, if they can win certain key games. The road will be tough, but thanks to the Dolphins it is a lot easier.

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About Tom Moore

TOM MOORE is from Baltimore and writes on sports for Press Box, and he previously served as a columnist for The Baltimore Examiner on many topics related to Baltimore and Maryland.
Described by many as a ‘Renaissance man,’ Mr. Moore has hosted the weekly radio program The Tom Moore Show on AM 680 WCBM since 2003, and sings in a jazz/standards band, which released its first record in 2010, “Restless Journey” available on I-Tunes.
Mr. Moore has also acted on stage in local theaters and on TV programs such as the NetFlix series “House of Cards” and HBO’s “The Wire.”
An NCLL Final Four lacrosse player at the University of Richmond, Moore transferred to, then graduated from the University of Maryland in 2000 with a degree in Journalism.
From 2000-2002, he worked as a producer for ABC Radio WMAL in Washington, DC where he was part of the station’s 2001 Edward R. Murrow Award-winning news team.
A busy Maryland attorney (known better as Thomas Maronick Jr.) by day, Moore is a lifelong baseball, football and lacrosse fan and may be reached at [email protected]More from Tom Moore

Filmstudy - Filmstudy is a sophisticated and comprehensive statistical analysis of the Ravens defense that incorporates a participation-by-play tracking system. This unique analysis is the brain child of the author and provides our readers with the real story behind the Ravens’ top end defensive results in the National Football League. Make Russellstreetreport.com the source for all of your Ravens football news and the forum to talk about what the Ravens fans want to hear most.

Lombardi’s Way - A column from the 24×7 founder that focuses on the Ravens, the NFL, Baltimore, the world of sports or life’s inspirations.

Word on The Street - In the spirit of the CBS Sports Minute with Boomer Esiason, RSR brings you Word on The Street, a 90 second (or less) podcast on topics exclusively relating to the Baltimore Ravens.

20 For 20 - In 2015 the Baltimore Ravens will celebrate their 20th season in Charm City. This series pays homage to 20 unforgettable events that have occurred since Art Modell arrived.

Camp Notes - Let Russellstreetreport.com be your eyes and ears on the practice field. Whether it’s Rookie Camp, Mini Camp or Training Camp, we are there 24×7 to provide you with all of the details from that day’s Raven’s practice. If you can’t make it to camp, check in with our Ravens news writers and you will feel as though you were there. Need proof? Check out our camp note archives from camp practices earlier this Spring.

Flashback Friday - A look back on some previously posted articles which today look silly, comical, spot-on or interesting in a retrospective kind of way.

Tale of the Tape - Breakdown of key plays that made a difference in the outcome of a Baltimore Ravens game.